Shell Scripts and Utilities

December 27, 2025 · View on GitHub

Welcome to the shellScripts repository! This repository contains a collection of scripts designed to simplify and automate daily tasks for developers, system administrators, and anyone looking to enhance productivity.

Repository Purpose

This repository is a curated collection of scripts that help us in:

  • Automating repetitive tasks
  • Simplifying workflows
  • Enhancing coding productivity
  • Providing solutions to common challenges in development and other domains

Installation:

Add the repository to your PATH for easy access to all scripts:

# 1. Clone repository
git clone https://github.com/AhmedOsman101/shellScripts.git $HOME/scripts

# 2. Add the following line to your shell configuration file (~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc)
export PATH=$PATH:$HOME/.local/bin/scripts

# 3. Refresh shell (if needed)
source ~/.bashrc  # or source ~/.zshrc

Benefits:

  • Automatic updates via git pull
  • Access all scripts without ./ prefix
  • Add new scripts without reconfiguring PATH

Available Scripts

Below is a list of some useful scripts included in this repository:

Here's the documentation for your clangc script to add to the Available Scripts section:

1. clangc

Rapid C code compiler/executor with automatic cleanup.

Features:

  • Compiles C source files with clang in one step
  • Executes the program immediately after successful compilation
  • Uses temporary files to avoid cluttering the filesystem
  • Automatically cleans up compiled binaries after execution
  • Immediate error checking during compilation
  • Preserves compiler error messages

Usage:

clangc <filename> <args>

Parameters:

  • <filename>: (Required) C source file to compile and execute
  • <args>: (Optional) Compiler arguments

Dependencies:

  • clang compiler
  • Standard UNIX utilities (mktemp, rm, basename)

Example:

clangc hello_world.c

Notes:

  • Add execute permission first: chmod u+x clangc
  • For repeated executions, consider adding the repository to your $PATH enviroment variable.
  • Tested with bash/zsh on Linux/macOS

2. cppc

C++ equivalent compiler/executor using g++.

Features:

  • Compiles C++ files with g++ and runs output immediately
  • Automatic temporary file management with cleanup
  • Streamlined development workflow for quick testing
  • Preserves compiler errors while eliminating manual cleanup

Usage:

cppc <filename> <args>

Parameters:

  • filename.cpp: (Required) C++ source file to process
  • <args>: (Optional) Compiler arguments

Dependencies:

  • g++ compiler
  • Standard UNIX utilities (mktemp, rm, basename)

Example:

cppc app.cpp

Notes:

  • Ensure execute permissions: chmod u+x cppc
  • Temp files follow pattern: cppc-XXXXXX.out

3. down-ext-file

VSCode extension bulk downloader from JSON manifest.

Features:

  • Downloads .vsix files for extensions specified in JSON format
  • Automatically creates extensions directory if missing
  • Skips already downloaded files
  • Shows progress bar during downloads
  • Handles publisher/extension URL construction automatically
  • Comprehensive error handling for missing files/invalid JSON

Usage:

down-ext-file <filename>

Requirements:

  • JSON file named extensions.json in current directory or a valid JSON file name
  • File format: Array of "publisher.extensionName" strings

Dependencies:

  • jq for JSON parsing
  • wget for downloads
  • cut for string processing
  • Logging utilities (log-error, log-info, etc.)

Example extensions.json:

[
  "ms-vscode.cpptools",
  "aaron-bond.better-comments",
  "adam-bender.commit-message-editor",
  "adrianwilczynski.alpine-js-intellisense",
  "amodio.toggle-excluded-files"
]

Typical Output:

Downloading ms-vscode.cpptools.vsix...
[INFO]: Downloaded cpptools
Downloading golang.go.vsix...
[INFO]: Downloaded go

Done 🚀

Notes:

  • Creates files in ./extensions/ directory, it creates it if not available
  • File names follow <extensionName>.vsix pattern
  • Requires valid internet connection
  • Recommended for offline VSCode installation setups

4. get-ext

VS Code extension manifest generator with safe file handling.

Features:

  • Creates JSON manifest of installed VS Code extensions
  • Automatically formats output as ["publisher.extension"] array
  • Prevents accidental file overwrites with confirmation prompt
  • Supports custom output filenames and forced overwrites (-o)
  • Compatible with down-ext-file script format

Usage:

get-ext [filename] [-o]

Parameters:

  • filename: (Optional) Output file name (default: extensions.json)
  • -o: Force overwrite without confirmation

Dependencies:

  • VS Code CLI (code command)
  • jq JSON processor
  • Basic UNIX utilities (readarray, touch)
  • Logging utilities (log-info, log-warning) available in the repo

Example Output File:

[
  "ms-vscode.cpptools",
  "aaron-bond.better-comments",
  "adam-bender.commit-message-editor",
  "adrianwilczynski.alpine-js-intellisense",
  "amodio.toggle-excluded-files"
]

Common Use Cases:

  1. Create default manifest:
get-ext
  1. Force-overwrite existing file:
get-ext -o
  1. Custom filename:
get-ext my-extensions.json

5. install-ext

VS Code extension bulk installer from .vsix files.

Features:

  • Installs all extensions from a directory of .vsix packages
  • Works with output from down-ext-file script
  • Automatic directory navigation and error handling
  • Shows individual installation status for each extension
  • Defaults to extensions directory when no argument specified

Usage:

install-ext [directory]

Parameters:

  • directory: (Optional) Target directory containing .vsix files (default: extensions)

Dependencies:

  • VS Code CLI (code command)
  • Logging utilities (log-error, log-success)

Example:

install-ext my-extensions

Typical Workflow:

  1. Download extensions using down-ext-file
  2. Install all with one command:
install-ext

Notes:

  • Requires VS Code to be installed and in system PATH
  • Maintains compatibility with extension packages from:
    • Marketplace (via down-ext-file)
    • Manual downloads
  • Combines with get-ext/down-ext-file for full backup/restore cycle

6. repeat-it

Command retry utility with exponential persistence.

Features:

  • Repeats commands until successful exit (0 status code)
  • Automatic 5-second retry interval with counter
  • Clean screen between attempts for better visibility
  • Shows progress updates and final success summary
  • Universal compatibility with any CLI command

Usage:

repeat-it "your_command"

Parameters:

  • your_command: (Required) Command to execute and retry

Dependencies:

  • Basic POSIX-compliant shell utilities
  • Standard Linux/Unix core utilities
  • Logging utilities (log-info, log-success)

Example:

repeat-it "curl -sS http://flaky-server/api"

Notes:

  • Handles complex commands with arguments/quoting: 
    repeat-it "docker compose up --build"
  • Success message only appears after retries
  • Exits with final command's status code

7. which-cpp

C++ compiler detector and version reporter.

Features:

  • Detects installed C++ compilers in priority order (clang++ > g++ > c++)
  • Parses and formats version information consistently
  • Standardizes output format across different compilers
  • Silent operation with only version output

Usage:

which-cpp

Parameters:

  • No parameters required

Dependencies:

  • At least one C++ compiler (clang++/g++)
  • awk for version parsing
  • Standard UNIX utilities (command, head)

Example Output:

clang++ v15.0.7

Notes:

  • Priority order detection ensures consistent reporting
  • Handles multiple compiler aliases (g++/c++)
  • Possible outputs include:
    • clang++ vX.X.X
    • g++ vX.X.X
    • Fallback to raw compiler output if unknown format

8. net-interface

Primary network interface detector with fallback logic.

Features:

  • Identifies active network interface through routing tables
  • Checks connectivity to Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) and Google DNS (8.8.8.8)
  • Returns first available interface name without error messages
  • Silent failure mode (empty output when no interface found)

Usage:

net-interface

Parameters:

  • No parameters required

Dependencies:

  • ip command (from iproute2 core package)
  • awk for output parsing

Example Output:

wlan0

Notes:

  • Linux-specific (uses modern ip command syntax)
  • Prioritizes interfaces with internet connectivity
  • Typical outputs: eth0, wlan0, enp0s3
  • Returns empty string if no network connection detected
  • Useful for scripting network configuration tasks

9. get-ip

Network IP address fetcher with interface context.

Features:

  • Retrieves current IP address for active network interface
  • Uses net-interface script to determine primary connection
  • Combines IPv4/IPv6 detection in single command
  • Returns address with CIDR notation (e.g., 192.168.1.10/24)

Usage:

get-ip

Parameters:

  • No parameters required

Dependencies:

  • net-interface script (from the repository)
  • ip command (iproute2 core package)
  • rg (ripgrep)
  • awk for output parsing

Example Output:

192.168.1.15/24

Notes:

  • Returns first found IP address for active interface
  • Combine with subnet trimmer if needed: get-ip | cut -d'/' -f1
  • Handles both wired and wireless connections
  • Returns error if no network interface has IP assignment
  • Linux-specific implementation (uses modern ip syntax)

10. get-unique

Unique line filter with in-place file modification.

Features:

  • Removes lines with duplicates (keeps only single-occurrence entries)
  • Preserves original order of first unique occurrences
  • Supports both files and stdin input
  • Optional backup creation with -b flag
  • Temp file handling with automatic cleanup

Usage:

# File mode (modifies directly)
get-unique filename.txt

# File mode (creates a backup of the file)
get-unique -b filename.txt

# STDIN mode (non-destructive)
cat input.txt | get-unique

Parameters:

  • filename: (Optional) Target file (use "-" for explicit stdin)
  • -b: Create backup file with .bak extension

Dependencies:

  • awk for efficient line processing
  • Coreutils (mktemp, cp, cat)
  • Logging utilities (log-info, log-error)

Example:

# Original file:
# apple
# orange
# apple

get-unique -b fruits.txt

# Resulting file:
# orange

# [INFO]: Backup created as fruits.txt.bak

Notes:

  • Order-preserving operation (maintains original line sequence)
  • Empty lines are treated as valid entries
  • Case-sensitive comparison ("Apple" ≠ "apple")
  • For CLI use without modification:
get-unique < input.txt > output.txt
  • Combines well with sort/uniq workflows
  • The -b (backup) flag must precede the filename. For example, get-unique -b file.txt creates a backup; get-unique file.txt -b will not.

11. no-dups

Order-preserving duplicate remover with backup capability.

Features:

  • Removes subsequent duplicates while keeping first occurrence
  • Maintains original line order of remaining entries
  • Supports both file modification and stdin/stdout workflows
  • Creates .bak backups with -b flag (must precede filename)
  • Temp file handling with automatic cleanup

Usage:

# File modification mode
no-dups -b input.txt  # Creates input.txt.bak

# Piping mode (non-destructive)
cat data.txt | no-dups

Parameters:

  • -b: Create backup before modification (must come first)
  • filename: Target file (optional, uses stdin if omitted)

Dependencies:

  • awk for efficient deduplication
  • Coreutils (mktemp, mv, cp)
  • Logging utilities (log-info, log-error)

Example:

Original File       Processed File
apple              apple
apple              orange
orange             banana
banana
orange

Notes:

  • Case-sensitive comparison ("Foo" ≠ "foo")
  • Empty lines are considered valid entries
  • Backup flag syntax is strict: no-dups -b file.txt
  • Combine with other tools for sorted deduplication:
sort file.txt | no-dups > deduped.txt

12. gitsync

Git workflow automator with timestamped commits.

Features:

  • Automated stage -> commit -> push workflow
  • Timestamp-preserved commit messages (ISO 8601 + 12h format)
  • Current branch detection or manual branch specification
  • Built-in help documentation
  • Auto-verifies Git repository status
  • Branch switching validation

Usage:

# Default mode (current branch)
gitsync

# Specific branch mode
gitsync -b develop

# Help documentation
gitsync -h

Parameters:

  • -h: Show help message
  • -b <branch>: Target branch (switches if needed)

Dependencies:

  • Git CLI
  • Coreutils (date)
  • Logging utilities

Example Workflow:

# On feature/x123 branch
gitsync -b main
# Switches to main, commits, pushes

Notes:

  • Commit message format: Updated Files 2025-02-2@03:35AM
  • Uses git add "*" (explicit glob pattern)
  • Recommend combine with PATH setup for global access: 
    gitsync -b release
  • Verifies Git repo status before operations
  • Fails gracefully on non-Git directories

13. install-ext-online

VSCode extension sync tool for online installations.

Features:

  • Compares installed extensions with a reference JSON file
  • Installs missing extensions from the VSCode Marketplace
  • Uses repeat-it for resilient installation attempts
  • Preserves existing extensions while adding new ones
  • Automatic temp file cleanup

Usage:

install-ext-online reference.json

Parameters:

  • reference.json: (Required) File containing desired extensions in ["publisher.extension"] format

Dependencies:

  • get-ext (from the repo)
  • get-unique (from the repo)
  • repeat-it (from the repo)
  • VSCode CLI (code command)
  • jq JSON processor

Notes:

  • Requires active internet connection
  • Reference file format must match get-ext output
  • Installation output suppressed for cleanliness
  • Force-installs extensions (--force flag)
  • Combines with other scripts for full extension management: get-ext -> edit -> install-ext-online

14. net-speed

Real-time network speed monitor with icon visualization.

Features:

  • Displays live download/upload speeds in Kbps
  • Uses kernel-level network interface statistics
  • Auto-detects primary network interface
  • Continuous refresh (1-second interval)
  • Nerd Font icon integration for visual display

Usage:

net-speed

Parameters:

  • No parameters required

Dependencies:

  • net-interface (from the repo)
  • /sys filesystem (Linux kernel interface)
  • Nerd Fonts for icon display (recommended)

Example Output:

 14 Kbps  60 Kbps
 19 Kbps  27 Kbps

Notes:

  • Linux-specific implementation
  • Runs indefinitely until interrupted (Ctrl+C or Ctrl+D)
  • Speed calculation formula:
    • (bytes_diff * 8 bits) / 1024 = Kbps
  • Icons represent:
    •  (Download)
    •  (Upload)
  • Interface detection matches net-interface script logic

15. load-fonts

Font management utility for system-wide font installation.

Features:

  • Automates font installation from user's ~/fonts directory
  • Creates standard font directories if missing
  • Handles both TTF and OTF font formats
  • Automatic font cache refresh
  • Silent operation with selective warnings

Usage:

load-fonts

Parameters:

  • No parameters required

Dependencies:

  • fc-cache (fontconfig)
  • Standard font directories (automatically created if not present):
    • /usr/share/fonts/TTF
    • /usr/share/fonts/OTF
  • Logging utilities (log-info, log-warning)

Notes:

  • Requires sudo privileges
  • Source directory: ~/fonts
  • Installation paths:
    • .ttf -> /usr/share/fonts/TTF/
    • .otf -> /usr/share/fonts/OTF/
  • Automatic cache refresh ensures immediate availability
  • Recommended workflow:
    1. Place fonts in ~/fonts
    2. Run load-fonts
    3. Verify with fc-list

16. Logging Utilities

Color-coded message handlers for script feedback:

log-error

  • Color: Red (31m)
  • Usage: log-error "message"
  • Effect: Prints error message and exits with code 1
  • Example:
log-error "File not found"
# Output: [ERROR]: File not found

log-warning

  • Color: Yellow (33m)
  • Usage: log-warning "message"
  • Effect: Prints warning message (non-blocking)
  • Example:
log-warning "Low disk space"
# Output: [WARNING]: Low disk space

log-info

  • Color: Blue (34m)
  • Usage: log-info "message"
  • Effect: Prints informational message
  • Example:
log-info "Processing data"
# Output: [INFO]: Processing data

log-success

  • Color: Green (32m)
  • Usage: log-success "message"
  • Effect: Prints success confirmation
  • Example:
log-success "Operation completed"
# Output: [SUCCESS]: Operation completed

Common Features:

  • ANSI color codes for visual distinction
  • Standardized message formatting
  • Terminal output compatibility
  • Used by other scripts in the repository

Implementation Notes:

  • Designed for bash/zsh environments
  • Color codes reset automatically after each message
  • Essential for unified script feedback system

17. md2docx

Markdown-to-DOCX converter with template support.

Features:

  • Converts markdown files to DOCX format
  • Supports custom templates via MRT environment variable
  • Preserves original filename for output
  • Automatic error handling for failed conversions

Usage:

md2docx input.md

Parameters:

  • input.md: (Required) Markdown file to convert

Dependencies:

  • pandoc (primary conversion engine)
  • sed for filename processing

Environment Variable:

  • MRT: Path to custom .dotx template file (optional)

Example Workflow:

# Basic conversion
md2docx README.md  # Creates README.docx

# Template-based conversion
export MRT="$HOME/templates/custom.dotx"
md2docx REPORT.md  # Uses custom template

Notes:

  • Output file matches input name (e.g., file.md -> file.docx)
  • Template file must exist if MRT is set
  • Conversion errors show detailed pandoc messages
  • Common use cases:
    • Technical documentation
    • Academic paper formatting
    • Standardized report generation

How to Contribute

We welcome contributions! If you have scripts you'd like to share or improvements for existing ones, please:

  1. Fork the repository.
  2. Add your script in the appropriate folder.
  3. Update this README.md with details about your script.
  4. Submit a pull request.

Feedback

I'd love to hear from you! If you have suggestions, feedback, or feature requests, feel free to open an issue or reach out to the maintainers.